River of Illusion
by dreamer971
Summary: Oneshot fanfic. The Shikon no Tama a tiny yet powerful jewel that is sought by demons and mortals alike. A reincarnation of a priestess who happened to chance upon the time of aging and war protects this great object along side a halfdog demon who's past


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.

**Summary:** The Shikon no Tama; a tiny yet powerful jewel that is sought by demons and mortals alike. A reincarnation of a priestess who happened to chance upon the time of aging and war protects this great object along side a half-dog demon who's past conflicts with the jewel. This little item can grant anyone's wish but could it be possible that it has a mind of its own? What other sorts of powers does this jewel possess?

The large afternoon sun remained bright in the sky, emitting orange rays of light across the land of Japan during its feudal era of time. Soft swirling clouds in scattered clumps of white and gray painted the slow darkening sky. Villagers cleaned up their daily chores and headed home to their families to spend the night in peace. Animals gathered themselves together with their own species and huddled deep into their burros for rest. A slain demon lay still in an open field, its dark red blood flowing around its beaten body, its heart exhausted from a battle it had endured only hours ago. The only things that ever stirred on any night such as this was a small group consisting of 5 members; a half-dog demon man, a young monk, a female demon exterminator, a fox child boy and a young girl not from this period of time. Deep in the Forest of Inuyasha is where their story first began and so it shall again.

Emerging from a heavy brush of shrubs and small trees, Kagome stepped into a clearing of the Forest of Inuyasha. Her once bleach white uniform was stained with the blood of a demon they had killed earlier that day and all that she had wanted to do afterwards was to rid her body of the disgusting stench. She smiled when the sound of trickling water brought her vision to a small stream flowing smoothly from the base of an aged tree. Approaching the miniature river, she knelt down to the ground and peered at her reflection in the shallow water. Her hair was a complete mess, drenched in her own sweat and streaks of blood and dirt painted her cheeks. Sighing lightly, ashamed that she looked so rough and unclean, she dipped her hands into the cold water and rubbed her palms together. The blood washed off fairly easily and drifted down with the current. Cupping her hands, a small pool of water forming in the center, she splashed it on her face, refreshing her senses and mind. A small smile crept across her face as she stared down at a cleaner version of herself. "Much better." She announced quietly, feeling totally rejuvenated. Just as she was about to stand again and return to her fellow companions, the Shikon no Tama that she was sworn to protect, dangled from around her neck and dropped into the stream as if pulled by a magnetic force. She gasped lightly in shock and surprise and gazed at its distorted form underneath the ripples. With a confused expression upon her face she dropped her hand back under the water's surface, and clutching the tiny object, brought it back out. Her eyes locked onto the pink jewel and she stared at it as if she'd never seen the thing before in her life. A small amount of light glistened around it wet edges and it began to sparkle when she rolled it between her fingers. The nearly complete jewel held her body hypnotized and she waited in silence for the inanimate object to tell a story.

"Are you just going to sit there all day or what? We've got jewel shards to find." Inuyasha complained, frustrated by the time it was taking her to clean off. In his opinion being clean didn't matter. Especially in there warring times.

Kagome heard him but couldn't respond. She found herself unable to look away from the powerful item she held in her grasp.

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at her lack of responsiveness and walked over to her side. "You all right Kagome?" He asked, squatting down to her level. He followed her eyes to the jewel and sighed. "Don't worry." Folding her fingers to hide the jewel he continued. "When I become a full-fledged demon I'll give you and everyone else enough time to run." Grinning at the thought of such an accomplishment, he rose to his feet and held out his hand to help her up.

She blinked at her now enclosed hand and narrowed her eyebrows in thought. "That's still what you want to do?" She asked as she took his hand and was hoisted to her feet.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and headed back to where he had first come from. "Will you shut up. You already know that's what I want. I'm going to become a full demon whether you like it or not. I've already made my decision."

Kagome's shoulders shrank at his harsh words and she glanced one last time at the jewel rested in her hand before putting it back around her neck and following him. "I know." She mumbled quietly in disappointment, not intentionally said for his ears to hear. She knew that once they did complete the jewel he would take it from her and turn into a hideous monster without her consent. He'd risk losing his heart and soul just to become something he wasn't necessarily meant to be. The thoughts of losing such a good friend and someone she had grown to love so dearly only saddened her but they could never be shut from her mind. As she stepped from the brush and to the place where her friends were gathered she put on a smile to hide her pain and tried not to think about such things for the time being.

The wind sorceress Kagura glided across the dark sky atop a feather, the cool breeze blowing fiercely past her face and through her hair. Her sister who sat behind her kept silent and clutched a tiny mirror tight at her chest. She could sense a demon's strong presence but finding its whereabouts proved difficult at such a time. "Kanna." She called over the hiss of the wind, turning her head slightly over her shoulder. "Where is Naraku headed?"

The pale young girl lowered her cold eyes to her mirror and watched as it began to reveal the position of their creator. "He's gone to find Inuyasha." Her monotone voice murmured while strands of her soft white hair whipped across her cheeks.

Kagura frowned and stopped her ride in mid-air. Staring into the powerful mirror, a smirk slipped across her crimson lips and she leaned over the side of her giant feather. "Then we're right where we should be."

Slowly nodding her head, Kanna turned the mirror towards herself and called upon another image. The half-demon boy and companions instantly appeared in the spherical crystal glass and she watched them with great interest as they got ready for a nights rest so carefree and argued over situations she was unaware of. "Inuyasha will die tonight won't he?" She questioned, not moving her eyes away from the silent film.

"That's the plan." Kagura stated bluntly, her demonic stare gazing down to the black forest below. "It won't be long now."

"Inuyasha just give it a rest. We need to get to sleep sometime tonight." The young monk Miroku said in an exhausted tone, brushing his hand through his bangs as he leaned his back against the tree behind him. Another petty argument of Inuyasha's was testing his patience for the hanyou and if it didn't end soon, he would have to remove himself from their chosen sleeping area. Peering through a slightly opened eye, he gazed from the demon exterminator who was cleaning her weapon to the reincarnated shrine maiden who held tight to a teary eyed fox boy.

Jumping to his feet, Inuyasha pointed an accusing finger in Kagome's direction. "If she hadn't sat me for no reason we wouldn't have this problem!" He glared at her as she made no indication of arguing her defense.

Sango shook out the cloth in her hand then folded it at her side. "And if you hadn't hit Shippo in the first place we would have all been asleep by now." She said as she placed her Hiraikotsu behind her on the ground.

Inuyasha cringed his nose and folded his arms across his chest before turning his back to the group who gathered around the small fire. "Feh." He muttered under his breath after realizing he had nothing to say in return. Deciding it was best for him to leave, he walked into the dark forest, anger in his every stride.

Sighing lightly, Kagome watched him disappear past the wall of black and placed the kitsune child down to the ground. "I should probably talk to him." She said in almost a chuckle as she rose to her feet and wiped the dirt from her knees.

Miroku yawned, covering his mouth with his hand, the other behind his head and nodded. "Don't get too worried though if he decides to sleep somewhere else for the night." Shutting his eyes, he let out a long sigh and relaxed in his spot.

Kagome smiled and shook her head side to side. "I won't." Watching as Shippo scurried over to Sango's lap, she entered the forest and began to search for her half-demon companion.

Gliding along the forest ground, silence accompanying his every move, a terrible and horrific demon cloaked in an overcoat of baboon skin, it's carved out face hiding his own, strolled past all wild life and nature on his pursuit for his long-time enemy. His nose sniffed the stale air for his rival's disgusting half-breed odor and he smirked as it wafted his nostrils on a passing breeze. "Inuyasha." He muttered in his sinister voice. Their hatred for one another went back 50 years to the one day that started it all. Love, jealousy, betrayal and death. Sprinting deeper into the darkness, his white cloak floating from his body he ran to his prey to slay him once and for all. Just his death alone offered him everything he could ever dream of. "Soon Inuyasha. Then the Shikon no Tama will finally be mine."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace the night's darkness had to offer. "Where are you?" She called again, holding her hand to her mouth. Dropping her arm to her side she bit her lip and stared blindly at the walls of black that surrounded her. 'He couldn't have gotten that far.' Her mind tried to reassure her. Turning slowly on her heels, she peered in every angle hoping to spot him. Upon returning to her original position a blurred figure far in the distance shone past the dark. She squinted her eyes to try and make out the person but found it very difficult. Figuring it was the man she had been looking for, she waved her hand above her head and smiled. "Inuyasha!"

He could smell her ahead of him, her scent overpowering that of the one he wanted. There was only one person that foreign aroma belonged to; Inuyasha's mortal wench Kagome. 'When will he learn.' Leaping high into the treetops, the cloaked demon soared above the girl and smirked devilishly, his cold eyes glistening through the shadows of his hidden face. "I'll get rid of you first!" He shouted as a tangle of lifeless demonic body parts shot out from underneath his robes and in the direction of his desired prey.

Kagome looked up and gasped at what was fast approaching her. 'Naraku!' Her mind exclaimed in utter terror when she spotted the demon behind the danger. Knowing that there was not a chance of escaping alive she covered her head with her arms and hunched her shoulders in fear.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha hollered, running out from the forest at a fast rate of speed and releasing the Tetsuseiga. Sliding to a stop by her side, he pushed her to the ground and sheltered their heads with his enormous blade.

Pulling herself into her protector's body, Kagome pressed her arms and cheek against his chest and tightly shut her eyes. The deafening sound of attack after attack pounding against the sword rung throughout the forest as a warning for all to seek safety before things got started.

The demon called back the unnatural parts of his body and fell to the ground, landing softly on his feet. Regaining his stature, a deep chuckle rumbled in his chest as he watched his enemy rise to his feet and help the girl whom he had sworn to protect. "How pathetic Inuyasha. You still cling to that woman?"

Inuyasha tightened his grip around the hilt of the Tetsuseiga and led Kagome behind him. "Nothin' doin! Cut with the talk and tell me why the hell you've come Naraku!" He shouted across to the demon.

Naraku stood in silence, a light breeze rustling the fur draped over his shoulders and his long greasy black hair. "I have come for only one reason." He paused and shut his eyes to enjoy the pleasurable feeling of his blood as it began to flow more vigorously with the sensation to kill.

Intimidated and too impatient to wait for an answer Inuyasha charged at his enemy, his sword held out in front of him, ready to strike the demon down in only a single swing. "Die Naraku!" He shouted, thrusting the blade into the ground and releasing his most used attack the Wind Scar.

The demon didn't budge from his original position as a large amount of power was blasted towards him at a tremendously fast speed. "Such a fool." He muttered in a grin as the Wind Scar came in contact with the barrier he had placed around his body. "Inuyasha, did you honestly think I'd let myself be harmed so easily?"

"Don't speak so soon Naraku." Inuyasha snapped, pulling the Tetsuseiga from the ground and watching as the barrier surrounding the demon began to crack and fall to pieces.

Reassessing the unrealized danger, Naraku's eyes widened with fear as his barrier, which he thought could outlast an attack from the Tetsuseiga, ripped to shreds, allowing clear passage to his now unprotected body.

A large explosion rumbled the ground and a gust of wind blew across the land where Inuyasha stood. "Got him." He announced in celebration as a dark cloud of smoke rose to the sky.

Kagome slowly shook her head in doubt and stepped closer to the side of the hanyou. "I don't think..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to come up with a suitable reason as to why she was feeling the way she was.

Victory was cut short as the smoke turned into a heavy smog of miasma and dispersed throughout the surrounding area. Inuyasha gasped and held his arm over his mouth, his burning eyes searching the grounds for any sign of the demon. "Hold your breath Kagome." He instructed over his shoulder. Suddenly, a tangle of deadly pointed demonic roots emerged from the fog and headed straight in his direction. Using the Tetsuseiga to block the vines he grunted in shock as they pushed him further away from Kagome. Cursing under his breath as some managed to break free and cut across his face and arms, he cut down each new one as it grew closer to further injuring his body.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, running to follow him. A hiss from behind directed her attention over her shoulder and she tripped over her own feet as her body trembled at the vast amount of roots aimed at her.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango hollered from above atop Kilala, whipping her boomerang down and through the vines that threatened to harm Kagome as well as Inuyasha. Upon catching the weapon on its return, Kilala landed on the ground and she leapt off her back to the aid of Kagome. "Are you all right?"

Nodding, Kagome lifted herself to her feet and smiled at her friend in appreciation. "Yeah. Thanks Sango."

Sango smiled back and turned to face the hanyou who ran towards them. "How about you Inuyasha? Any injuries?"

Inuyasha huffed at her question and walked right past the group until he was standing at the front. 'I didn't get him.' His fierce golden eyes scanned the heavy smog for his enemy. 'Where is he?'

Hopping off Kilala's back, Miroku approached Kagome with her bow and her quiver of arrows and handed them to her with a smile. "That was a bit of a close one."

Taking her weapon from his hand, Kagome's smile fell slightly and she looked over in the direction of where Inuyasha's attention had been drawn and clutched the handle of her bow. She knew what he was thinking and knew for herself that this time Naraku must mean business.

"He's not dead." Inuyasha whispered to himself, narrowing his eyebrows and gripping the sword in his hand till his veins designed his skin.

A loud chuckle and unearthly sounds chimed throughout the forest and a shadow of a much larger demon darkened against the clearing smoke. Slowly stepping out in his new form consisting of passed demons he had absorbed to gain more power, Naraku smirked as every new body piece throbbed with the urge to kill. "Calling upon the help of mortals again Inuyasha? How disgraceful. You are at least part demon so start acting like it!" He hollered, punching his new multiple arms at his enemies.

Both Inuyasha and Miroku ran out to greet the approaching danger, taking on the challenge of reaching and destroying the demon who had caused them so much suffering. If they did indeed succeed with his death then their adventure for the shards would be over and everything would once again be peaceful.

Sango quickly leapt onto Kilala's back, helping Kagome up as well and soared up to the clouding sky. 'Its time to finally kill you Naraku and avenge my family.' She said to herself as the wind whistled past her face.

Miroku slashed his staff through the seemingly never-ending vines of demonic pieces, sweat already gathering on his hairline. When the attacks seemed to finally end and he had the perfect opportunity to use his life-long curse, he stabbed his weapon into the ground and snatched the prayer beads wound around his wrist. "It's time to end this Naraku. How about I suck you up into the curse you placed upon my family."

The powerful demon smirked at the monk's threat. Feeling no danger whatsoever from it though, he snapped another demonic root right at the man to pierce through his hand and straight into his heart.

Not expecting Naraku's sudden attack, Miroku choked on his own air and his body tensed as the root appeared larger by the second.

Flying up above the battle scene, Sango gasped when she spotted the danger coming closer to her companion and readied her weapon. "Miroku!" She shouted, whipping her boomerang over her shoulder and watched with concern as it ripped its way through the roots. Kilala flew down after the weapon and Sango easily retrieved it as it flew back to her.

"Just in time." Kagome sighed happily as she watched Miroku plop down onto the ground, a little shaken but unharmed.

Naraku frowned at the demon exterminator soaring down to rescue her companion and lifted more of his body pieces above his head. "Such interference." The pieces were thrust out from their original position and headed right towards the slayer. This time he knew he would not miss.

Sango's head jerked to the side just in time to see Naraku's attack penetrate her side. Her eyes immediately swelled with tears and she fell of Kilala, her body overcome with sudden weakness.

"Sango!" Kagome screamed falling forwards into the cat demon.

She whimpered quietly as the root was harshly removed, shredding her skin apart and blood gushed from her fatal wound. 'No...I need to...' The voice in her head went silent and her eyes slowly closed as her injured body fell from the sky and crashed into the ground below.

"Sango." Miroku gasped upon hearing Kagome above. He turned and spotted the woman's lifeless body on the ground and could only fear the worst. "Sango!" His body sprung forward and ran to her side. Kneeling beside her he examined her limp body and found himself speechless once realizing her state.

Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears as she watched the couple below her. She knew about their plans after Naraku had been defeated and couldn't even begin to imagine how Miroku must've been feeling. "That despicable demon." She muttered as she glared over her shoulder to the cackling demon below. Shaking away her tears, she raised her bow slowly to her side and quietly set an arrow. Aiming it down to her enemy, she pinched the end of the wood and held it in place. "You'll pay for that Naraku!" Releasing the arrow from her grasp it shot down towards him, its aura of purity surrounding it along the way.

Arriving from the sky and stepping in front of the powerful demon, one of Naraku's incarnations Kanna, lifted her tiny mirror to her chest and held onto it tight as it absorbed Kagome's arrow. From behind, her creator laughed and only encouraged her to do more damage to the hostile group. Holding the shaking mirror, she turned it in the direction of the young monk and let Kagome's arrow fly free from inside.

Realizing that Miroku was no longer paying attention to the battle, Kagome's eyes widened in fear and she looked over the other side of Kilala just in time to see her own arrow strike down her friend.

The singeing burn of pain spread across his chest and he tried not to make a sound. Tears stung Miroku's violet eyes but he felt no anger of revenge. He had lost the one person he had wanted to live and fight for. Taking Sango's hand into his own, he gazed upon her face and smiled slightly. "I'll see you soon."

Watching him hunch his shoulders in pain, Kagome could only dread what was happening. "No...Miroku." She whispered in shock, trying to hold back the need to scream and cry as his body fell over top of Sango's and his chest rose and fell for the very last time.

Naraku's chuckle silenced the forest and Inuyasha, sensing the sudden stillness, looked over his shoulder to his two dead friends sprawled across the ground. His facial expression dropped to one of disbelief and sadness upon seeing their pale faces. Noticing that that was one of Kagome's arrow in Miroku's chest, his eyes lifted to the sky and spotted her as she pushed her face into Kilala's fur. "Naraku." He muttered in rage, hatred boiling his blood and he slowly returned to face his enemy. "You bastard!" Raising the Tetsuseiga above his head he ran at the demon and quickly released the Wind Scar when he had gained enough speed.

"Dance of the Dragon!" Kagura shouted from up above on her feather, swiping her fan through the air and sending four tornado's of her powerful wind down below to block Inuyasha's attack and protect Naraku.

Grinding his teeth together, Inuyasha passed through Kagura's winds with little difficulty then glared at her as she landed down beside her master. He had thought that she wanted to be freed from Naraku and her act to protect her terrible master only confused him. "Kagura." He muttered.

Smirking, she snapped her fan closed and folded her arms across her chest. "Hello Inuyasha." She said in a teasing voice.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at Naraku's offspring's in disgust. "Now look who's calling upon the help of others Naraku! Start acting like a demon huh? You're one to talk!" He snapped as his eyes shifted from Kagura and Kanna then back to his real enemy.

Naraku frowned, the demonic pieces attached to his body rising above his head as his anger grew and he stared right back into Inuyasha's hateful glare. "They are apart of my body Inuyasha so it's only fair that all of me fight against you...But you are right. It must be hard fighting three on one."

Suddenly, Kagura's eyes went wide as Naraku's roots attached themselves around her waist and shoulders and she was forcefully pulled into his body. 'What!' She looked down to Kanna who was held the same way and forced against her will back into Naraku's flesh. 'He's absorbing us!' Her mind screamed in shock. Struggling to get free, sweat of fear appearing on her forehead, she looked up at her creator and cursed upon him. "Naraku you-"

He chuckled as his two demonic creations melted into his body and disappeared off the face of the earth. "Now we're even."

Sensing the danger from Naraku's sudden move, Inuyasha tightened his hands on the Tetsuseiga and glared at the demon. "Maybe but I'm still ten times stronger that you are! Taste this!" He hollered in fury, leaping into the air. Swinging the Tetsuseiga across the sky he released the Wind Scar once again.

Naraku smirked and decided to test his new power. Slapping his roots across Inuyasha's attack, the blast was sent back to its originator.

Inuyasha grinned in satisfaction of a real fight and lifted his sword above his head. "I don't think so Naraku!" Swiping the blade across the returning Wind Scar he watched carefully as his Backlash Wave was relinquished and redirected back down towards the demon.

Lifting his demonic roots in front of his body like a wall, the attack dissolved away as it hit and the surface of the roots rippled with power. "It's time to end this now Inuyasha. You can never defeat a powerful demon such as myself!" The wall of roots began to glow an immense bright white. The sky above darkened to a thick black and miasmic clouds funneled far above the demon's head. Aiming at the desired target, Naraku grinned devilishly and released the contained power.

Inuyasha's face paled in terror as Naraku directed and sent the blast at the one and only person who didn't deserve to be killed in this battle. Landing on the ground he sprinted towards the two-tail that carried the one he was to always protect. "Kagome!" He exclaimed in fear, jumping up and down to gain height.

Kagome lifted her head from Kilala's back and glanced down to the leaping hanyou but her attention was drawn to something that imposed danger to her. As she turned her head, she felt all air being sucked from her lungs as her eyes made contact with the large orb of demonic power. Her body tensed with the shiver of realized death and she pulled Kilala's fur into her fists.

Naraku watched in silence, a pleased smirk playing at his lips as the blast inched its way towards its locked target. He knew it would kill her instantly and would weaken Inuyasha's ability to fight. Not only would Inuyasha have one woman to avenge but another as well. 'And then the Shikon no Tama will be all mine.' He cackled in his thoughts, already imagining himself after obtaining so much power.

Biting his bottom lip and leaping high into the air, Inuyasha snatched onto the collar of Kagome's shirt and flung her into his body. Pushing off from Kilala he aimed to reach higher into the sky but a sudden spurt of pain prevented him from doing so. His grip tightened on Kagome's body and his kimono began to shred to pieces as the blast struck his back.

"Perfect." Naraku said through a grin of fangs, watching Inuyasha and Kagome's bodies become totally engulfed in the blast he had dispersed.

Inuyasha held Kagome protectively against his chest in hopes that no harm would come to her. He could hear her screaming. He could feel her tight grip on his arms as they plunged to the ground below. But he couldn't do anything to prevent it. Aware that his time was up, he struggled to look down at her and forced back the tears that threatened to fall. "Kagome...I..." His voice choked up as blood filled his mouth and he found the only way to speak to her was through one last embrace. Shifting her closer to his face, he pushed her into his chest and pressed his cheek against the side of her head. Shutting his eyes tightly, a single tear rolled down his face and soaked into her hair. 'I'm sorry Kagome.'

Kagome bit her lip and crushed her face into the croak of his neck. She knew exactly what he was trying to say but wouldn't let herself believe it. She whimpered softly and curled her fingers into a fist. "Inuyasha...No. Don't do this. You aren't going to-"

Then the forest went still. The sounds of falling rocks and clumps of dirt were the only noticeable noises. The terrible demon's chuckle had seized and he slowly made his way over to the cloud of dirt particles that surrounded his fallen enemies. Stepping over the monk and demon slayer in each other's arms, his eyes locked on the image of another couple ahead of him. He stopped only inches from their bodies and as the dirt cleared, he smirked mischievously at the dead hanyou man who lay across the girl who crossed between times. Finally his long time goal had been achieved. "The Shikon no Tama." He whispered in his ungodly voice. Cracking his knuckles to try and contain his excitement, he reached down to steal the jewel around the girl's neck. About to wrap his skinny fingers around the tiny pink object, a protective barrier that surrounded their bodies suddenly stopped his hand. He frowned, enraged and somewhat surprised by this and pulled back his hand. His cold stare pierced the girl underneath his deceased enemy and quickly noticed that she was still alive. "Damnit."

Kagome's eyes slowly fluttered opened but her vision was blurred and resulted in her closing them again. Her body ached from something she couldn't remember and she began to cough dryly from lack of air. Something unknown to her was pressing heavily against her chest and crushing her lungs. Lifting her hands to rub at her eyes she touched that of another above her and gasped. Dusting away the dirt from the corner of her eyes, she slowly opened them and was shocked to see Inuyasha as the one on top of her. "Inuyasha." She whispered sharply, automatically sitting up and rolling him onto his back. His arms flopped when he was moved and his head fell to the side where more weight was acquired. His body lay limp, dried blood on his lips and chin, and no air flowed from his open mouth. Tears immediately swelled in her eyes as she gazed upon his body. She dropped her hand to the ground to balance her trembling body and her fingertips dipped into the blood that pooled around their bodies. She gazed at her blood stained fingers then down to Inuyasha's wet kimono. "He's..." Her vision slowly lifted to see Miroku and Sango beside one another dead and she slowly rose to her feet. Crystal droplets of water began to roll down her cheeks as all her friends lay still in the battlefield that was splashed with their own blood. "Miroku, Sango...Inuyasha..." Not being able to bear looking at them again, she spun harshly on her heel and ran for the line of trees.

Kagome's body disappeared into the darkness of the forest. She kept running, needing to escape what she had seen and what she was feeling. 'What happened? This wasn't supposed to end like this!' Her tears fell like a hard rain from her eyes and she found it very difficult to breathe. 'I couldn't do anything! It happened so fast!' Her knees trembled underneath her weight and she stumbled out of the forest, into a small clearing. As she fell to the ground, the Shikon no Tama broke from around her neck and rolled into a small stream that flowed peacefully from the base of an aged tree in front of her. Scrambling to her knees, she crawled towards the tiny river of water and quickly retrieved the jewel from below the surface. Her shoulders shrunk and she sobbed quietly as she brought it out from underneath the water. Holding it tight in her grasp, she looked at her folded fingers, which triggered her bottom lip to shake. So much pain and suffering had been spread like a disease across the land during her time here. Blood had been spilt when it wasn't necessary. All just to have possession of this jewel that she cared for.

As she opened her hand, her eyes locked onto the pink jewel and she stared at it as if she'd never seen the thing before in her life. A small amount of the afternoon's light glistened around its wet edges and it began to sparkle when she rolled it between her fingers. "The Shikon jewel." She whispered.

"What's taking you so long?" Inuyasha nagged as he stopped behind her. Folding his arms across his chest, he tapped his foot impatiently on the ground.

Kagome whipped her head over her shoulder at the sound of his voice and stared up into the hanyou's angry eyes. "Inu...yasha?" Her voice crackled as she stumbled on her words.

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow and bent down to look closer at her face. "What the heck are ya crying about now?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

"I..." Kagome looked down at the jewel in her hand and couldn't think of a proper reason to appease him with. "I...don't know."

Standing up straight again, a frown on his face, he turned back to where he had come from and started to walk away. "Well hurry up. Miroku's made dinner and if you don't come now then you'll get nothing."

At the mention of her friends' name, Kagome dropped the jewel in her hand to her side and stared at him as he left. "Miroku?"

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks and glared over his shoulder at her. "Yes." He hissed, stretching out his single word.

Rising to her feet, Kagome whiped the tears quickly from her eyes and ran after her half-demon companion.

What she had just experienced, had it never happened at all? Was it a dream? Could it have been just one horrible nightmare?

She looked at the jewel one last time before tying it back around her neck.

Or could it have been a prediction?

A small sigh slipped through her parted lips and she ran in front of the hanyou to greet her friends.

Only time would tell.


End file.
